Addictive behavior - sin or chemical imbalances?

[abelisle]

In light of the Tiger Woods public apology and and his desire to use therapy and Buddhism as vehicle for healing (physical and spiritual), I wonder how most Adventists view this conundrum?

I think there are basically 2 schools of thought: 1) it's all about sin and 2) addictive behavior can be traced to chemical imbalances in our brain? Is there a happy middle ground? a place where prayer and therapy can coincide? a place where religious beliefs and modern medicine can work together?

Don't we all demonstrate addictive behavior of minor or major proportions to some degree?

Alex

[Woody]

Quote:

Don't we all demonstrate addictive behavior of minor or major proportions to some degree?

Yes Alex. You are so right. We DO all demonstrate addictive behaviour of either minor or major proportions.

But with Christ ... we can glorify God by overcoming. Only those who overcome with God's power ... will glorify Him. We don't honor God by overcoming and becoming better through our own power nor by Satan's power.

But I DO believe that God can bless a Buddhist with power to overcome. And btw ... Tiger stated that he left his Buddhist upbringing at a young age and had not returned. It was unclear that he now plans on BEING a Buddhist. So I think we need to be careful about what conclusions we jump to.

[abelisle]

A friend of mine suggested a 3rd way of thinking: 3) demonic possession

Does this then throw the dimensions of this issue out of whack?

Alex

[olger]

According to Minerth-Meyer, only about 5-10% of depression is chemical. The rest is spiritual & emotional.

[Woody]

I wouldn't put my trust in Minerth-Meyer.

[karl]

According to Minerth-Meyer, only about 5-10% of depression is chemical. The rest is spiritual & emotional.

When you do drugs and/or alcohol, they become your higher power. Been there done that.

It is sin. It is having another god before God.

The cure is a spiritual one, not a chemical one. My brother was a heroin addict for forty years. He got clean many times, but he just couldn't stay with the program because it is a spiritual program in which we admit that we are powerless over drugs and over our own lives. In the program we seek the true Higher Power Who delivers us from the false higher power.

The same program works with any sin.

1.) We admitted we were sinners and were powerless over our own lives.

2.) We came to understand that there is One Who has the power to deliver us.

3.) We humbly turned our lives and our wills over to God.

There are more steps having to do with more fully turning our lives and wills over to God, but these three are the most essential ones.

[Guest]

Originally Posted By: olger

According to Minerth-Meyer, only about 5-10% of depression is chemical. The rest is spiritual & emotional.

When you do drugs and/or alcohol, they become your higher power. Been there done that.

It is sin. It is having another god before God.

The cure is a spiritual one, not a chemical one. My brother was a heroin addict for forty years. He got clean many times, but he just couldn't stay with the program because it is a spiritual program in which we admit that we are powerless over drugs and over our own lives. In the program we seek the true Higher Power Who delivers us from the false higher power.

The same program works with any sin.

1.) We admitted we were sinners and were powerless over our own lives.

2.) We came to understand that there is One Who has the power to deliver us.

3.) We humbly turned our lives and our wills over to God.

There are more steps having to do with more fully turning our lives and wills over to God, but these three are the most essential ones.

Yes, I have worked those three steps karl. And the other nine also.

[abelisle]

Clearly these 12 step programs work but when I've spoken the Adventist physicians about the role of demonic possession in the possible diagnosis of mental health issues, they tend to shy away or point in the direction of MPD's (Multiple Personality Disorders)

But what is quite interesting is to see how SSRI's (anti-depressant drugs) play critical roles in sexual addiction or technically addressed as sexual paraphilia.

http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec15/ch203/ch203c.html

Plus has anyone spoken to the original question I posed re: a functioning interface between therapy and spiritual healing? How do we articulate a working and effective protocol that acknowledges the positive points of modern medicine and various religious "metanoic" processes?

Alex

[Robert]

addictive behavior can be traced to chemical imbalances in our brain?

There's no question that when one is sick mentally or physically that temptation becomes intense. I usually fail when I'm not feeling good physically or mentally.

I can remember my great, great grandmother. She was an SDA most her life, but towards the end of her life she started doing abnormal things. One time when my grandfather visited her at the rest home she was dipping snuff. Of course he was very upset.

So because of sin...aging, etc, it's easy to be controlled by the nature. If a medicine can help someone feel better (mentally and physically) I say great, but many of those prescriptions used for mental conditions I question....

[Robert]

I wouldn't put my trust in Minerth-Meyer.

Maybe, but I wouldn't put my trust in psychiatric institutions either....They take a lot of money in, but it seems like most of those patients are permanent fixtures. Like I said, lots of money to be made....

[doug yowell]

The cure is a spiritual one, not a chemical one. My brother was a heroin addict for forty years. He got clean many times, but he just couldn't stay with the program because it is a spiritual program in which we admit that we are powerless over drugs and over our own lives. In the program we seek the true Higher Power Who delivers us from the false higher power.

The same program works with any sin.

.

[phkrause]

In light of the Tiger Woods public apology and and his desire to use therapy and Buddhism as vehicle for healing (physical and spiritual), I wonder how most Adventists view this conundrum?

I think there are basically 2 schools of thought: 1) it's all about sin and 2) addictive behavior can be traced to chemical imbalances in our brain? Is there a happy middle ground? a place where prayer and therapy can coincide? a place where religious beliefs and modern medicine can work together?

Don't we all demonstrate addictive behavior of minor or major proportions to some degree?

Alex

I also believe that chemical imbalances are related to our eating habits. If we eat lots of sugar etc. it really messes with our chemistry. I think that you'll recall Alex many years ago Dr. Hoffman owned a nursing home in upstate NY which is wife ran, and I remember many times hearing about people that came in there really unbalanced and he corrected them with a proper diet, depending of course what there problem was upon entry. Even this Dr. Neil Needley, I believe that's his name works with ADD patience and other types of disorders, that come to him and with proper diet takes care of many. And also with proper exercise. The only things we take in as we live on this earth is the food we eat, the air we breath and what we drink. Of course sin definitely has its cause and effect also.

pk

[olger]

E. James Wilder has a great book on addictions. In it, he illustrates that the cure is not drugs, but rather the liberating power of God.

oG

[Dr. Shane]

The spiritual solution has been shown to be the most effective. The problem is breaking though the walls of self that the addict creates. With Tiger there is a lot of hope because it seems evident that the walls of self have been penetrated. He sees himself as broken and blames no one else other than himself. If we all saw ourselves the same there would be a lot more hope in the world.

I believes God does work through other religions. That is not to say I believe all religions are equal. I do not. I believe the Adventist church is God's remnant church that holds the most truth. However I also believes God has sheep in other folds and is merciful. He holds each accountable for the truth they have. Just because a person is exposed to Christianity or Adventism doesn't mean God will hold them accountable. If they are convicted of or drawn to it and resist, then I believe God will hold them accountable.

Addictions are formed by neurological paths being "burned" in the mind. Actually, that is how habits are formed. When we do the same thing over and over we burn these paths in our brain much like a stream cutting a path in sand. These can be beneficial or detrimental to us. Some of us have made habits of reading the Bible, eating healthy food and being friendly to our neighbors. Those are all good. Others of us have made habits of watching too much TV, eating between meals and driving too fast. Those are not good. Certain behaviors are more addictive because of the reaction a person's brain has to the behavior. Not everyone is the same and thus some are more predisposed to certain addictions to other. Some addictions introduce chemicals to our brains that the brain likes - like opium addiction. Other addictions cause the body to create certain chemicals that the brain likes - like adrenaline. The solution is, of course, avoiding the behavior. The problem is that the brain controls our behavior and when neurological paths have been formed and the brain is craving a chemical (i.e. opium or adrenaline) it take spiritual intervention to override our brains.

[Gail]

I think there is validity to all the possible reasons mentioned. The trick is to get the right combination for the individual.

I also know one friend who is bipolar. Her life is one of destructiveness all around when she is not on her meds.

I wish that everyone could have the tools that a spiritual upbringing gives, too. To not have the knowledge of the power of God for overcoming and healing and just plain learning how to live seems a tragedy to me.

[karl]

Bible good......cure all, medicine bad!!!

I don't think anyone wanted to make this dichotomy, CoAspen.

Certainly there is a place for medicine in treatment of addiction. Psychotherapy generally doesn't work, because the angst is a stimulus to more addictive behavior.

But the fact remains that addiction is primarily a spiritual disease and those who don't get a handle on the spiritual element (like my brother) don't do well with or without medicine.

[Dr. Shane]

There is a big difference between treating heart disease, a broken bone or some other part of the body and treating the brain. The brain is the command center of the body. My broken arm doesn't make decisions for me. My brain does.

Medication can certainly help treat some addictions, especially when a mental illness has been diagnosed. Psychological therapy can also be beneficial in dealing with childhood wounds. However neither of this is normally enough to solve the problem. Most do not recover without the spiritual component.

[Dr. Shane]

There is a wide body of evidence showing that a spiritual solution works for addicts in non-Christian religions. Many addicts belonging to faiths such a Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Native American religions have found a spiritual solution that has freed them from their addictions.

I do not believe the gods of those religions have any power. I believe our God, Jesus Christ, meets them where they are and extends grace to them. I believe it is Christ working in their lives even though they do not know it is Him.

[phkrause]

There is a wide body of evidence showing that a spiritual solution works for addicts in non-Christian religions. Many addicts belonging to faiths such a Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Native American religions have found a spiritual solution that has freed them from their addictions.

I do not believe the gods of those religions have any power. I believe our God, Jesus Christ, meets them where they are and extends grace to them. I believe it is Christ working in their lives even though they do not know it is Him.

I agree with this Shane.

pk

[olger]

Freedom good.

Bondage bad.

og out.